John Turner used a long lens to photograph Monday night’s truck blaze on Great Eastern Highway, Wundowie.
Camera IconJohn Turner used a long lens to photograph Monday night’s truck blaze on Great Eastern Highway, Wundowie. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Wundowie photographer captures Great Eastern Highway truck inferno

Justin BianchiniHills Avon Valley Gazette

JOHN Turner was at home in Wundowie with his wife Monday night when he heard what he thought was a gas bottle exploding.

The retired photographer and builder got in his car to take a look and came across an 18-wheel wheat truck on fire on Great Eastern Highway just east of El Caballo Resort.

The bang had been the first of several tyres exploding about 1.5km away from his house.

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“There was this great explosion – I was in the building trade and I’ve heard gas bottles go in buildings,” he told Community News.

“I was just sitting watching television and all of a sudden I said to my wife ‘that’s somebody’s bathroom blown up; a gas bottle’s gone’.

“Then another bang… and then there was this big one.

“I thought I better have a look at this and drive down.

“When the big one came, it was three or four tyres going off together.”

John Turner’s uncropped image of the truck inferno.
Camera IconJohn Turner’s uncropped image of the truck inferno. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

He said the truck inferno started about 9.30pm after a witness at the petrol station saw one of the wheels alight.

“The driver pulled up 100m past the service station and when he jumped out he had to run because there was nothing he could do,” John said.

He said the local voluntary bushfire brigade put out a resultant bushfire.